Alan Jesse “Al” Cuteri, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Founding Principal of Strada, will retire on December 31, 2025, after more than four decades in the profession and 25 years with the firm. Al will continue with Strada through the completion of current projects and as a consultant on select future work.
As Al Cuteri prepares for his retirement at the end of this year, he will be reflecting on his journey in three parts: Epilogue (looking back), Prologue (how Strada began), and Destiny (where Strada is headed). We begin with his heartfelt reflections on the past 25 years.
Celebrating my journey of love and passion, I wish to share my story of Strada in brief writings as I prepare to move on to my next adventure.
The past 25 years—and the 25 years that preceded them—have been filled with great experiences, wonderful teachers, exciting design work, amazing clients and contractors, and lifelong friendships. The personal satisfaction cannot be overstated. But at the core of this 25-year journey are the people: the Strada People, the “Stradistas”—designers, intelligent creative souls, innovators, thinkers, and, from my perspective, cultural icons.
The journey was not without challenges. There were obstacles, economic downturns, difficult clients, and painful decisions. And there was the melancholy of seeing talented Stradistas move on to continue their own life journeys. Yet at every turn, I found fulfillment, happiness, love, and deep satisfaction.
Inspired to become an architect in grade school, I had no idea the rewarding life that lay ahead. My desire to design and build was rooted in my love for seeing ideas transformed into reality.
This journey was shaped not by a plan, but by partners old and new, by young and idealistic team members, and by designers who often saw beyond my vision. It was also shaped by my family—my creative wife, my children—and by many colleagues, mentors, and teachers. Together, their passions and mine created a wholeness in my life.
Although I expected to feel sadness about moving on, my heart is full of happiness and gratitude for all of Strada. From the very beginning, my fellow founding partners—Edward Shriver, Michael Stern, John Martine, and I—envisioned Strada as a firm that would live beyond us. We have achieved that amazing goal.
Coming up next… Part 2 – Prologue: How Strada Began…
